Thank you for your interest in volunteering for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival!
Every year, Canton, Ohio is the focus of the football world as we put on the Enshrinement Festival. These events rely on the support of thousands of community volunteers. Volunteer opportunities range from behind the scenes planning and production to working directly with the Enshrinees and Hall of Famers as Canton welcomes hundreds of thousands of guests into our city.
There are two different volunteer applications, depending on whether you would like to volunteer for a committee through the Pro Football Hall of Fame or the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce. Please feel free to complete either or both of these applications.
Any questions on the Hall committees can be addressed to Jeff Shreve.
Any questions on the Chamber committees can be addressed to Mark Prosise.
To help you decide which committee matches your interests, skills and abilities, here are the events that each organization puts on, along with a more detailed explanation of each committee.
Pro Football Hall of Fame
Autograph Committee
Enshrinement Committee
Concert for Legends Committee
Corporate Host Committee
First Play Committee
Guest Services Committee
Hall of Fame Game Committee
Hospitality Committee
Hostess Committee
Security Committee
Transportation Committee
Volunteer Services Committee
Canton Regional Chamber
Balloon Classic Committee
Communications Committee
Community Parade Committee
Enshrinees Gold Jacket Dinner Committee
Fashion Show Luncheon Committee
Food Committee
Grand Parade Committee
Security & Logistics Committee
Souvenirs Committee
Special Services Committee
Staging Committee
Unscripted & Tailgate Committee
Up, Up & Away 5K Committee
The following volunteer committees are organized by the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce (CRCC) and the Pro Football Hall of Fame (Hall of Fame).
APPRECIATION PARTY (CRCC)
Volunteers provide on-site support for the annual Volunteer and Sponsor Appreciation Party held at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. This includes: assist with set-up, tear down, beverage, snack and ice cream stations, clear tables and trash, check tickets and IDs, and other hospitality duties. Volunteers must be at least 18 years of age.
AUTOGRAPH (Hall of Fame)
Volunteers assist fans and Hall of Famers during the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival. These volunteers must have an outgoing personality who enjoy interactions with the public and must be able to stand during their entire shift.
BALLOON CLASSIC (CRCC)
Volunteers assist with vendors, entertainment, beverage service, and pilot hospitality during the Balloon Classic at Kent State University at Stark and Stark State College campuses. This committee also assists in event set-up and teardown.
ENSHRINEMENT (Hall of Fame)
Volunteers assist guests sitting on the floor of Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium attending the Enshrinement. Volunteers should enjoy interacting with the public and be able to stand in outside elements during entire shift as they greet fans, check floor tickets, affix wristbands and assist guests with seating.
COMMUNICATIONS (CRCC)
Volunteers work behind the scenes to facilitate radio communications at every Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce event during the Enshrinement Festival. Volunteers must be able to volunteer at more than one event.
COMMUNITY PARADE (CRCC)
Volunteers assist the Community Parade by helping check-in units, serve as parade route marshal, assist in staging or demarshaling areas. Volunteers must be able to stand in outside elements during entire shift.
CONCERT FOR LEGENDS (Hall of Fame)
Volunteers assist guests sitting on the floor of Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium attending the Concert for Legends. Volunteers should enjoy interacting with the public and be able to stand in outside elements during entire shift as they greet fans, check floor tickets, affix wristbands and assist guests with seating.
CORPORATE HOST (Hall of Fame)
Volunteers drive official Hall of Fame vehicles to transport VIPs to all Enshrinement Festival events, providing VIP treatment. Volunteers must be at least 25 years old, have a valid Ohio Driver’s License and pass a background check.
ENSHRINEES’ GOLD JACKET DINNER (CRCC)
Volunteers assist guests that attend the Enshrinees’ Gold Jacket Dinner at the Canton Memorial Civic Center. These volunteers should enjoy interacting with the public as they act as hosts/hostesses to greet and direct patrons, assist with beverage placement at each place setting, and help sell commemorative steins at the conclusion of the event.
FASHION SHOW LUNCHEON (CRCC)
Volunteers assist guests attending the Fashion Show Luncheon at the Canton Memorial Civic Center. These volunteers should enjoy interacting with the public as they act as Hostesses to greet and direct patrons and assist with placing programs and gift bags at each place setting.
FIRST PLAY/SKILLS CAMP/AMBASSADOR (Hall of Fame)
Volunteers coordinate and assist in assembling up to 3000 children along a 2.5-mile route to pass a football from downtown Canton through the Canton Stadium Park to the steps of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. They also assist with the Play Football Skills Camp at the ForeverLawn Sports Complex.
FOOD (CRCC)
Volunteers work in collaboration with caterers and hostesses (as maître d’s or committee volunteers) to assure successful meal service for all guests at Fashion Show Luncheon and Enshrinees’ Gold Jacket Ceremony and the Unscripted and Tailgate, all of which are at the Canton Memorial Civic Center.
GRAND PARADE (CRCC)
Volunteers assist the Grand Parade by helping with parade seat set-up, serve as parade route marshals, assist in staging or demarshaling areas. Volunteers must be able to stand in outside elements during entire shift.
GUEST SERVICES (Hall of Fame)
Volunteers staff the Visitor Information Zones during the Enshrinement Festival at the Hall of Fame Village and the Stark County Fairgrounds. These volunteers answer questions and provide guests with information concerning all the week’s events and general community information.
HALL OF FAME GAME (Hall of Fame)
Volunteers assist in the production and staging of all pregame and halftime elements during the Hall of Fame Game at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.
HOSPITALITY (Hall of Fame)
Volunteers assist guests attending various parties and events at the Hall of Fame Village. Volunteers should enjoy interacting with the public as they are checking tickets and affixing wristbands, bartending, distributing souvenirs and escorting guests to Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.
HOSTESS (Hall of Fame)
Volunteers escort and assist the Enshrinees and their presenters for all events and duties while in Canton for the Enshrinement Festival. They also aid all returning Hall of Famers and their wives while in Canton, staffing the hotel information tables at area hotels where Enshrinees’ friends and families are staying. These outgoing and friendly volunteers assist with times and locations of specific bus travel information for all events, and some also act as hosts on the bus transporting them to all events.
SECURITY (Hall of Fame)
Volunteers provide crowd control and assist in flow of crowds for all events at the Hall of Fame Village during the Enshrinement Festival. They also provide security for Enshrinees and Hall of Famers at their hotel. This committee requires individuals with an outgoing personality who enjoys dealing with the public, but can be insistent and firm, when necessary, always using good judgment.
SECURITY & LOGISTICS (CRCC)
Volunteers provide crowd control and assist in flow of crowds for all events at the Canton Memorial Civic Center, the Balloon Classic and both parades. These volunteers must have an outgoing personality who enjoys dealing with the public, but can be insistent and firm when necessary, always using good judgment.
SOUVENIRS (CRCC)
Volunteers sell commemorative, official souvenirs at a variety of indoor and outdoor events held during the Enshrinement Festival. Dealing with the public and being able to lift boxes of merchandise are a plus.
SPECIAL SERVICES (CRCC)
Volunteers provide support to event committees in areas of hospitality, sponsor and guest check-in and registration at a variety of indoor and outdoor events sponsored by the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce held during the Enshrinement Festival.
STAGING (CRCC)
Volunteers assist in the set-up and tear down of the events at the Canton Memorial Civic Center (Fashion Show Luncheon, Enshrinees’ Gold Jacket Dinner, and Unscripted and Tailgate) during the Enshrinement Festival.
TRANSPORTATION (Hall of Fame)
Volunteers drive the Enshrinement Class, their presenters and all Hall of Famers in Official Hall of Fame cars to and from all events during Enshrinement Week. All Transportation Committee members must be at least 25 years old, have a valid Ohio Driver’s License and pass a background check.
UNSCRIPTED & TAILGATE (CRCC)
Volunteers assist guests that attend Unscripted & Tailgate at the Canton Memorial Civic Center. These volunteers should enjoy interacting with the public as they act as hosts/hostesses to greet and direct patrons, assist with beverage placement at each place setting, and help sell commemorative memorabilia at the conclusion of the event.
UP, UP & AWAY 5K (CRCC)
Volunteers assist with this Walk/Race during the Balloon Classic at the Kent State University at Stark and Stark State College campuses. Volunteers must be able to stand for long periods of time to assist with packet pick-up, start and finish-line duties, water stops, awards ceremony, beverage service, and on-course safety/security.
VOLUNTEER SERVICES (Hall of Fame)
Volunteers assist the Hall of Fame staff by processing and distributing committee shirts, credentials, name badges and parking passes. They also supervise the volunteer tent and act as “floater” volunteers for all other committees at Hall of Fame Village during the Enshrinement Festival.